Canal or ditch digging machine



(No` Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

O. HOEFS.

CANAL OR DITGH DIGGING MACHINE.

(No Model.) 5 sheets-sheet 3. 0. HOEFS. CANAL CR BITCH DIGGING MACHINE.

No. 544,850. Patented Aug. 20,1895.

(No Model.) 5 sheets-sheet 4y O. HOEFS.

CANAL 0R DITGH DIGGING MACHINE.

Patented Aug. Z0, 1895.

WMM/@acca 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

(No Model.)

0. HOEFS.

CANAL 0R BITCH DIGGING MACHINE.

Patemted Aug. 20, 1895.

' To @ZZ whom t may concern:

TTED STATES PATENT Orricn.

OTTO HOEFS, OF ALVIN, TEXAS.

CANAL OR DITCH DIGG-ING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 514,850, dated August 20, 189'5. V Application led April 22, 1895. Serial No. 546,724- !No modaLl Be it known that l, OTTO HOEFS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Alvin, in the county of Brazoria and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Subterranean Canal or Ditch Digging Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in machines for boring ditches or tunnels; and itconsists, essentially, in the combination of a carriage and means for drawing the same over the ground, and a boring-tool suspended beneath the said carriage and adapted to bore into the ground, either at an inclination to the surface or parallel thereto; and the said invention also consists in certain means for varying the angle at which the boring-tool operates, in novel mechanism for tilting the framework of the carriage to which the boring-tool is rigidly attached, in novel mechanism for rotating the boring-tool, and in certain other novel parts and arrangements thereof, and in certain novel combinations, which will be hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which the same parts are indicated by the same letters throughout the several views.

Figure l represents a side elevation ofthe machine, parts being broken away. Fig. 2 represents a plan view of the device shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents a section alongthe line 3 3 of Fig. 2 and looking toward the top of the sheet relative to the position of the letters. Fig. et represents a section along the line 4 4 of Fig. 2 and looking to the left. Fig. 5 represents a section alongthe line 5 5 of Fig. 2, showing the details of the mechanism for rotating the boring-tool. Fig. 6 represents a section along the line 6 6 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 represents a detail view of the frame detached from the vehicle, and illustrates the method of varying the inclination of the frame willi regard to the surface ot the ground. Fig. 8 represents a section along the line 8 8 of Fig. 7 through one side only of the frame. Fig. 9 is an elevation, partly in section,'al0ng the line 9 9 of Fig. l0 and looking to the left, and shows the exterior of one of the hubs ot' the driving and supporting wheels afterI its cap has been removed.' Fig. l0 represents a section along the line 10 10 of Fig. 9and also shows a section through the cap, which is then placed on the hub.

The frame on which all the various parts are mounted consists of two end frames A and A', constructed in any suitable way, and connected together by the arched pieces A2, made ot'v metal and oi'- snfficient strength, which project upward above the two end frames, and the inverted arch-shaped pieces A3, of similar construction, which are connected to the bottom of the said end frames, and these metal yokes or arch-shaped pieces form a rigid connection between the two end frames, and leave ample'roorn for the said frames to be raised or lowered vertically relative to the axle C, on which wheels B are journaled. p These wheels B are provided with hubs B', which are held, the one between the set-collar C2 and the cap C on the one side ofthe vehicle, and the other between the hub ofthe sprocket-wheel Land a similar cap C on the other side of the vehicle. The said hub is connected to the axle C and turns the same when the vehicle is drawn forward by means of the pawls c2, which engage in the circular rack h on the interior ot' the hub B', as shown in'Figs. 9 and l0. These pawls c2 are pivoted onthe pinsc mounted in the cap C', which cap is held by the setscrew c fast on the axle O. It will be seen by an inspection of Fig. 10 that these pawls will only operate when the wheel 'is turningin the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 9, which indicates the direction of motion ot' the wheel when the vehicleis being drawn forward. When the vehicle is being backed, the pawls c2 will slide over the rack. b', and thus the axle will not be turned when the vehicle is being moved backward. Since the axle imparts its motion to the boring-tool,

this function of the pawls c2 and hub B is important. The two wheels are connected to the axle in the same way, although only one has been described as so connected.

The axle C passes through the arched yokes A2 and A3, and is journaled in bearings d in the two arms D, provided with sector-arms D', having racks d. These arms D are pivoted on the wrist-plates E, which are secured to the frame A, as shown in Fig. 8. For conven- TOO ience in mounting the arms D on the said wrist-plates they are preferably provided with a cap-piece D0, bolted to the main body of the arm by bolts do, as shown in Fig. 7; but this particular method of mounting the arm on the wrist-plate is immaterial and may be varied at will. The rack d', on the opposite end of the pivotedarm D, meshes in a pinion F, fast on the transverse shaft F', which shaft carries one of said pinions near either end thereof, which mesh in the corresponding racks d', as shown in Fig. 4C. Mounted on this shaft F' is the beveled gear-wheel F2, which meshes in the corresponding gearwheelF3, mounted on the vertical shaft F4, and revolved by the hand-wheel F5. Thus it will be seen that by turning this hand-wheel F5 to the right or left the pinions will cause the pivoted arms D to swing about their pivots; but since these arms are supported on the axle at the bearings d the effect of turning the handwheel F5 will be to raise or lower the main body of the frame relative to the axle, while at the same time the frame will be given a slight inclination out of the horizontal.

If the pinions F'be situated at very nearly the center of gravity of the machine the tendency of thehand-wheel F5 will be to raise the body of the machine vertically, or tol lower it vertically, While the desiredv inclination may be imparted by mechanism shown in Fig. 3, and which will be hereinafter more fully described.

In order to lock the machine at the desired elevation or depression, a spring-pawl G is provided, which normally engages a ratchetwheel F on` the shaft F'. This spring-pawl slides in guides g fast to the framework A, and is connected by means of the connectingrod g' and crank g2 to the rock-shaft g3, having the arms g4 connected by the rod g5 to the treadle gG, which is pivoted at Q7 to the frame A' in easy reach of the driver who occupies the seat A0, as shown in Fig. '7.

There are three seats provided on the machine, two indicated by A0 on the main body of the machine, and the third indicated by A01, mounted on the push-beam AS, which projects from the rear of the machine.

The boring-tool H is mounted in front of and near the lower extremity of a heavy casting, which is flanged at its upper end, as at a4, and bolted fast to the'lower side of the frame. This casting, indicated by A4, is provided with a curved cuttingedge a, adapted to cut through the ground, the surface whereof is indicated by the dotted lines Z Z in' Figs. 1, 3, and 4. This casting is connected to the tongue A7 by means of the rod a5, which passes over the strut A5 and is connected to the pivot of the tongue A7, which pivot is represented by AG in Fig. 3. To the back of this casting and connected thereto by the plates d8 the push-beam A8 is pivoted, which beam is supported on the pair of small wheels B4 connected to the beam A8 by the bearings a8.

lshown most clearly in Figs. G and 2.

These wheels are adapted to span the trench made by the knife-edge ct. Cross-trees A11 are mounted on the tongue AT and on the pushbeam AS, adapted each to be drawn by four horses, as indicated in Fig.2. It will be seen by an inspection of Figs. 1 and 3 that the draft from the tongue and the pushing strain from the push-beam A8 are both applied directly to the casting A4, and thus the strain on the frame is largely relieved. n

The boring-tool H is preferably in the form of a gimlet, as at h, and is provided with a shoulder h',tttingoveracorrespondingshoulder a3 in` the circular bottom piece of the casting A4. This bottom piece is provided with a chamber ct', in which are mounted the gearwheel H2, which is fast on the shaft H', rigidly attached to the boring-tool II, and the gear-wheel H3, fast ou the vertical shaft H4, which passes through the cylindrical chamber d0 in the casting A4, and carries at its upper end a gear-wheel H5 meshing in the gear- 4wheel K, which is mounted on the transverse shaft K', carrying the sprocket-wheel K2, as This sprocket-wheel K2 meshes in the chain L, which meshes in the sprocket-wheel L', fast on the shaft L2, which shaft carries a second sprocket-wheel L3, connected by the chain L4 to the sprocket-wheel L5 on the shaft L0, which shaft also carries another sprocket-wheel L, which is driven by the chain LT from the sprocket-wheel L8, which is fast on the axle U. Thus it will be seen that the rotation of the axle is transmitted by means of these various sprocket-wheels and chains to the shaft K', which transmits its motion to the boring-tool IiI, causing the latter to revolve as the vehicle moves forward.

Idlers M, M', and M2 may be provided for the purpose of guiding and keeping taut the various chains, but these are not essential and may be omitted if desired.

In order to stop the revolution of the boringtool when the vehicle is moving ahead, should this be desired-as, for instance, in moving the vehicle about from one place to another- I provide any suitable clutch-coupling, indicated by N. (See Figs. 2 and 3.) This clutchcoupling is operated by the hand-lever N', connecting-rod N2, and clutch-arm N3; but the details of the clutch mechanism aie nota part of my invention, and anysuitable clutch may be provided. It will be seen that when the clutch N is uncoupled the shaft Lo will revolve in the sprocketwheel L5, which is loosely mounted thereon, and the sprocketchain L4 and mechanism operated thereby will be thrown out of action.A

P represents a revolving colter or knife adapted to split open the surface of the ground in front of the casting A4, and thus to assist the same in breaking through the surface of the soil.

The frame carrying the boring-tool is tilted so as to cause the boring-tool either to enter ICO IIC

the ground, as shown in Fig. 3, or to come out of the ground, as when tilted in the opposite direction by means of the handlever Q, which is pivoted at q, and has a handle g2 provided with a spring-pawl arrangement Q', adapted to engage in the rack R, which rack is in the form of an arc of a circle whose center is q. The lower arm q of this hand-lever Q is connected, by means of the rod g3, tothe push-beam A8, to which said rod is pivoted, as at Q4.

The rear end of the casting A4 is pivoted with grooves or guides 3,3', and s2 for a mov-` able compressing-plate S, detachably connected, as shown, in the grooves s, to the rear edge of the said casting, and adapted to press down the earth after the said casting passesthrough the same, forming a closed top to the tunnel formed by the boringtool I-I. Any number of the guides for compressor-plates may be provided, arranged at different heights along the rear of the casting A4 for the purpose of adapting the machine to pressing flat the double ridge that would normally be in the wake of the casting A. In this way the compressorplate may be adjusted to any depth of boring.

The operation of the device is as follows: The frame is lifted so that the boring-tool shall be about clear of the ground, which can` be done by revolving the hand-wheel-Fs, and then the said frame is tilted by means of the handlever Q to a position somewhat like that shown in Fig. 3. Then the pawl Gis 'drawn back, allowing the whole weight of the machine to rest on the boring-tool H, and the vehicle is started forward. The boring-tool will bore an inclined hole downward, pressing the earth to either side of it, until the entire boring-tool is below the surface, and the frame A4 shows that the proper depth for the bottom of the ditch or tunnel has been reached. The boring-tool' is then brought to the horizontal position by means of the handlever Q, which brings the frame gradually down to the horizontal position and as gradually changing the direction of the line of boring from the inclined to the horizontal. It will, of course, be advisable to change the direction of the line of boring gradually and to` start doing so before the maximum desired depth is reached, for it will be somewhat difficult to change the direction of the boring-tool suddenly while it is embedded in the ground. After the boring-tool has reached the desired depth and the frame has been moved into the horizontal position, the said boring-tool will bore an underground tunnel, packing the earth on all sides thereof so hard as in ordinary soiis to render the danger of caving in comparatively small. Into this tunnel tiles or pipes may be readily placed, it being only necessary to dig down occasionally from the surface. Should it be desired to cut an open ditch, the upper portion of the walls may be cut away, as by shovels or spades,'or in any other convenient way, leaving the bottom of the boringa hard and well-packed bottom for the ditch. The revolving knife P assists in opening up the soil for the casting A4, while the compressing-plate S smooths down the ridges behind the casting A4 and covers up the crack left in the earth by the said casting as it passes through.

Should it be desired to run the boring-tool `toward the surface ot the ground, as at the end of the boring, or to avoid an obstacle, it will only be necessary to tilt the framein the opposite direction from that shown in Fig. `3, and to take as much weight as possible off the boringtool,as by turning the hand-wheel Fin the reverse direction. Thus it will be possible to move the boring-tool upward at an angle, as to avoid a buried log, and then after passing the log to deliect it downward again, as has been hereinbefore described. It will thus be seen that the boring-tool may be caused` to bo-re at an incline downward or at an incline upward to followa path parallel to the surface of the soil or to follow an undulating path beneath the soil; also, that 'while the herein-described mechanism enables the operator to vary the vertical'position of the boring-tool,the vehicle may be caused to follow any desired path over the surface of the ground, and thus a ditch or tunnel may be cut which would be irregular either in depth or in direction, or both, or which might be straight and of a uniform depth.

Where it is desired to drain bottom land, it is especially desirable to be able to readily dig a crooked ditch which shall be at the desired depth from the surface and shall follow the contour of the land.

It will be obvious that the herein-described apparatus is especially adapted for use in alluvial land or prairie land free fromv rocks.

It will be obvious that many modifications of the herein-described apparat-us might be made which could be used without departing from the spirit of my invention.

i While I have shown the vehicle as adapted to be drawn by horses or mules, any suitable motive power may be adopted, such as a portable steam engine, electric motors or the like.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

l. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a wheeled vehicle and a frame carried thereby, of a boring tool j our- 4 naled in bearings rigidly attached to said frame, means operated by the motion of said wheels for rotating said tool, means for mov-- ing said frame vertically on said vehicle, and for tilting said frame, and means for slicing open the ground above said tool, substantially as described.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a wheeled vehicle and a frame carried thereby, of a girnlet-headed boring tool journaled in bearings rigidly attached to said frame, means operated by the IDO.

IZO

motion of'said Wheels for rotating' said tool,

means for moving said frame vertically on said vehicle, and for tilting said frame, and a compressing plate for smoothing the ground in rear of said tool, substantially as described.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a Wheeled vehicle and a frame carried thereby, of a cutting and boring device secured beneath said frame and comprising a, metal frame or casting A4 provided With a cutting edge a, and the boring tool journaled near the base of and projecting to the front et said casting, substantially as described.

4. In a machine of the character.described, the combination with a Wheeled vehicle and a frame carried thereby, of a cutting and boring device secured beneath said frame and comprising a metal frame or casting A provided With a cutting` edge d, and the boring tool journaled near the base ofand projecting tothe front of said casting, With gearing for revolving` the said boring tool mounted on the said casting, substantially as described.

5. In a machine of the character described, the combination With a Wheeled vehicle and a frame carried thereby,ofa cutting and boring device secured beneath said frame and comprising a metal frame or casting A1 provided with a cutting edge a, and the boring tool, the girnlet-headed boring tool II, journalcd near the base of and projecting to the front et said casting, substantially as described.

G. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a wheeled vehicle, and a frame carried thereby, ot' a cutting and boring device secured beneath said frame, and comprising a metal frame or casting A4 provided with a cutting edge d, and theboring tool journaled near the base of andprojecting to the front of said casting, with gearing for revolving the said boring tool mounted on said casting, substantially as described.

7. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a Wheeled vehicle and a frame carried thereby, of a cutting and boring device secured4 beneath said frame and comprising a metal frame or casting A4, provided With a cutting edge ci, and the gimletheaded boring tool H, journaled near the base of and projecting to the front of said casting, with guide grooves alongthe sides of said casting, with a detachable compressing plate adapted to tit in any one of said guide grooves and to project to the rear of said casting, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix inysignature in presence of tivo Witnesses.

0'1"0 HOEFS.

\Vi tnesses:

HENRY F. FISI-1ER, A. E. HEIDINGSFELDER. 

